Dashboard widgets bring local and global information to the Tigerdesktop by giving you the information you need with a simplekeystroke. However, there is much more to a Dashboard widget thanHTML. Cascading Sheets (CSS) provide widgets with and layout whileJavaScript makes the widget dynamic and provides user interaction.In this book, Fred Terry examines how HTML, CSS, and JavaScriptjoin forces with the OS X filesystem abilities to provide widgetswith the look and feel of a standalone application.

The featured examples will help you gain an understanding of theelements and construction of Dashboard widgets, while many chaptersend with a set of exercises that reinforce what you've learned.You'll quickly find all the information you need to begindeveloping and sharing widgets.

What you will learn from this book

How Dashboard widgets are an integral part of Tiger

The different development environment options available

How to use logging, printing, and JavaScript console in Safarito debug your widget

The activation, control, and focus events that provide thewidget with a Mac-like user interface

The access keys that allow a widget to incorporate command-lineutilities and network resources.

Who this book is for

This book is for anyone who wants to create Dashboard widgets ormodify existing ones. A basic understanding of a scripting orprogramming language is beneficial.

Wrox Beginning guides are crafted to make learning programminglanguages and technologies easier than you think, providing astructured tutorial format that will guide you through all thetechniques involved.